Answer to Question #170027 in Physics for Ava Thorburn

Question

An unknown radioactive material has an absorbed dose of 500 μ Gy and gives a equivalent dose of 1 mSv. Calculate the radiation weighting factor of the material.

Answer 1

Equivalent dose $H$ is calculated using the mean absorbed dose $D$  multiplied by the radiation weighting factor $W_R$  which is dependent on the type and energy of the radiation:

$$H = W_RD$$

expressing the radiation weightting factor and substituting $D = 500\mu Gy = 5\times 10^{-4}Gy$, and $H = 1mSv = 1\times 10^{-3}Sv$, obtain:

$$W_R = \dfrac{H}{D}\\ W_R = \dfrac{1\times 10^{-3}}{5\times 10^{-4}} = 2$$

Answer. 2.